A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality
Mortal Realm The mortal realm is also known as the Physical Realm. Progression through the mortal realm involves absorbing greater amounts of spiritual energy (Qi) into the body. As an individual's spiritual energy increases it becomes denser and changes form. Their cultivation "deepens" upon a successful change in form. Changes in form are incredibly difficult and often require assistance from medicines, tools, or spiritual pills. Mortals Most of this realms inhabitants are mortals. They have relatively short lifespans. Mortals may have physical prowess that sets them above their peers. They may use Martial Arts to gain strength. Through trickery such as poison they may defeat cultivators. Mortals do not need cultivators and may : "The lives lead by mortals differed greatly from those lead by cultivators. Mortals lives were brimming with joys and sorrows, where the old withered and life was born anew." : Lifespan: 100 years Qi Refinement/Condensation The starting stage of cultivation. Those in this stage cannot be called cultivators, but merely practitioners. The lifespan of Individuals does not change, and are considered enhanced mortals. The mortal body starts to absorb natural energy from the world and gather spiritual energy (Qi) inside the body. To progress, an individual must collect and condense more spiritual energy. In this stage, the spiritual energy is visually depicted as forming clouds. As time goes on, this stage varies in length and power. Lifespan: 100 years Foundation Establishment Upon successfully collecting and condensing spiritual energy into a liquid, an individual enters the Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation. At this stage, individuals have greater power that further enhances their magic abilities. Skills, Cultivation Arts, and Tools that were difficult to use at Qi Refinement become easier to use. Within the foundation establishment level there is a wide variance in power divided into 3 groups: Early, Middle, and Late. A late foundation establishment cultivator has power that dwarfs a middle foundation establishment cultivator. The same applies between Middle and Early cultivators within this stage. As such, individuals within this stage take great care when interacting with peers at this stage. Progression through Foundation Establishment involves absorbing spiritual energy at increasingly greater rates. Lifespan: 200 years Core Formation An individual enters the Core Formation stage when they collect and further condense their spiritual energy into a solid "core" - often depicted as an Orb. At this stage individuals increase the lifespan of their mortal bodies by hundreds of years, and have greater power that dwarfs Late Foundation Establishment cultivators. : "The magic battle between the core formation cultivators of Saber Transformation Dock and the Controlling Spirit Sect had shattered the heavensand earth and swept back and forth over several kilometers." Cultivators at this stage are considered elders within middle level sects, and are often used as a measurement of strength between Sects. Loss of a sect's Core Formation cultivator represents a major loss in a sect's strength. Within the Core Formation level there is again 3 groups - Early, Middle, and Late Core Formation cultivators. The difference between the three groups is larger with a Late Core Formation cultivator being able to effortlessly kill many Early and Middle Core Formation cultivators. Progression through Core Formation involves absorbing even greater amounts of spiritual energy and making their "core" even denser. The power of the "core" and the way strength is gauged in this stage changes over time. Lifespan: 300 ~ 500 years Nascent Soul Once a "core" has reached sufficient density, it can be forcefully collapsed and molded to form a "Nascent Soul". A cultivator reaches the Nascent Soul stage upon successful formation of a Nascent Soul. Under rare circumstances, an individual may form more than one Nascent Soul. Progression through the Nascent Soul stage involves absorbing spiritual energy to refine the Nascent Soul. Like the previous stages, there are 3 groups: Early, Middle and Late Nascent Soul Cultivators.There is the exception of those one step into Nascent Soul who may be able to release a power roughly around that of a Nascent Soul cultivator. One ability of this stage is to separate Nascent Soul from a cultivators mortal body. As a nascent soul is refined, it reduces it's dependency on the Mortal body. In later stages of Nascent Soul, the mortal body can be destroyed while the cultivator survives through their Nascent Soul. However, destruction of the mortal body (cultivation vessel) prevents further growth. It is possible to possess another body should it be given to them or they forcefully take over a new body. However, doing so will weaken the Nascent Soul, and future growth is still limited. Cultivators at this stage are considered ancestors or grand elders within sects, and can live up to a thousand years at most, more should they use special methods. Nascent Soul cultivators form the basis and majority of strength within a middle level sect. Loss of Nascent Soul ancestors can result in extinction of a sect. A single ancestor can single-handedly wipe out an enemy sect without a Nascent Soul ancestor. War between sects or factions with Nascent Soul cultivators rarely result in battle between cultivators of this stage. Nascent Soul cultivators are mostly motivated by self-interest. They will not involve themselves in conflict unless there are rewards. Lifespan: 800 ~ 2,000 years Deity Transformation/Demigod: The fifth stage of cultivation. The Nascent Soul has reached its pinnacle, and can no longer progress. Thus, the Nascent Soul will then begin to interact with the higher energies of Heaven and Earth. A chance of death is present as a tribulation occurs to enter this stage. Should the Nascent Soul succeed in becoming half immortal soul, one will have the power to manipulate the energies of the world to fight, or cut open space to travel a thousand miles in one leap or instantly approach the enemy. Can be called first-rate or powerhouse in second-rate sects, and first-rate expert in first-rate sects or factions. Lifespan: 2,000 ~ 5,000 years Spiritual Realm Void Refinement: The sixth and final stage of cultivation before attempting to truly become a Immortal. The Nascent Soul has reached a point of no return in terms of power, and is only a small part away from becoming a immortal soul, however, the power of the void or space has not been infused, and many pieces of one's mortal shackles are still in place. In this stage, only a piece of emotion should be kept, and the Nascent Soul shall eventually become a immortal soul. There is a high chance of death if attempting to enter this stage. Can be seen as the pinnacle figures of the lower mortal world. Lifespan: 8,000 years Heaven's Tribulation: Intermission between Void Refinement and Integration/Synthesis. One will either die or succeed. Lifespan: Instant death or continued life. Integration/Synthesis: At this stage, one has officially stepped beyond the mortal world, and can travel into boundless space with no issues. At this stage, one will no longer use heaven and earth energy, but natural essence energy, far superior and more powerful. At this level, the immortal soul is true in strength and form, and one has officially gained one piece of immortality. A tribulation will accompany every breakthrough. This a stage that many in the spiritual world are in. Lifespan: 10,000 ~ 20,000 years Great Ascension/Before True/Real Immortal: A realm equal to a demon ancestor in the demon race. It is incredibly scarce in the spiritual world, much less in the lower mortal world. 99% of cultivators will die before entering this stage. However, entering this stage will not grant access to the Immortal World. There are many who are stuck in the spiritual world as becoming a True Immortal is too hard. Lifespan: 30,000 ~ 50,000 years Loose Immortal: A realm that exists once someone fails to become a True Immortal. This is the realm one enters should they somehow survive their failed tribulation. Their lifespan is decreased enormously, however, their power is nonetheless able to dominate all under the True Immortal level. There is little hope for those in this level. In the spiritual world, a Loose Immortal will commonly go on a rampage once their life is coming to an end, causing damage to all around them. However, it is possible to have minor breakthroughs in this realm. There are also differences in the strengths of Loose Immortals. This realm is not mentioned much in the novel itself. Level 1 Loose Immortal: 10% above Great Ascension Level 2 Loose Immortal: 20% above Great Ascension Level 3 Loose Immortal: 30% above Great Ascension Level 4 Loose Immortal: 40% above Great Ascension Level 5 Loose Immortal: 50% above Great Ascension Level 6 Loose Immortal: 60% above Great Ascension Level 7 Loose Immortal: 70% above Great Ascension Level 8 Loose Immortal: 80% above Great Ascension Level 9 Loose Immortal: 90% above Great Ascension Level 10 Loose Immortal: 100% above Great Ascension Highest attainable cultivation boundary below True Immortal. Lifespan: 1000 ~ 5000 years Immortal Realm Real/True Immortal: The last and final realm in the mortal spiritual world, also the beginning of the Immortal World. Not much is known besides that this stage can directly flip over a mortal spiritual world. It has been shown that the demon race fear this level to their bones. The presence of a True Immortal is enough to send the demon race into a frenzy just from the thought of one. Lifespan: 100,000 years+ Han Li stops at this stage, however, the author has considered writing a sequel with Han Li in the Immortal World, but he says that he will leave it for later years. (Note: Hi, the original person who put all the stages here. Happy to see that the wiki has expanded a lot since I last came. I edited my work a bit and am happy to see that people have polished up this place, keep it up! Proof is in the history, the IP you will see is the same one that added them. Feel free to add onto the wiki.)